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4 By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. identify factors that influence relationship satisfaction among males and females. 2. explain the greater “transmission of affect” from males to females in romantic relationships. 3. compare and contrast the characteristics of romantic relationships among heterosexuals and homosexuals.

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8 r between wife’s femininity and her own marital happiness=.33 r between husband’s femininity and wife’s marital happiness=.31 r between wife’s femininity and husband’s marital happiness=.28 r between husband’s femininity and his own marital happiness=.42

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9 2.Equity: Research indicates that equity influences relationship satisfaction among males and females:  Males and females who feel that they are “over- benefitted” or “underbenefitted” in their relationship report less satisfaction than those who feel that their relationship is equitable (Cahn, 1992).

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10 3.Relationship standards: Research indicates that unfulfilled standards influence relationship satisfaction among females and males.  Identified 7 categories of relationship standards among females and males. Vangelisti and Daly (1997)  Although sex differences did not emerge with respect to the importance of these standards, females were more likely than males to report that their relationships did not fulfill the standards.

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11 Relationship StandardDescription Relational identitySpending time together, being known as a couple. IntegrationAccepting each other’s weaknesses, recognizing there is conflict in relationships. Affective accessibilitySelf-disclosure, expressing feelings. Trust*Being faithful, committed, honest Future orientationSharing similar plans for the future. Role fulfillmentEach person fulfills his or her roles. FlexibilityAdapting to one another. Relationship Standards (Vangelisti & Daly, 1997) *Only standard for which females reported greater importance than males. Only standard for which sex differences in fulfillment did not emerge.

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16 5.Relationship conflict: Research indicates that conflict influences relationship satisfaction among females and males:  For both sexes, the number of conflicts experienced and the success with which conflicts are resolved influence relationship satisfaction (Cramer, 2002).  Females and males identify similar sources of conflict in romantic relationships (e.g., lack of communication, deception; Helgeson, 1987).

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17 Recently, however, there has been increased interest in same-sex relationships. This interest has been fueled by lesbian and gay advocates and debates regarding same-sex marriage. With respect to the topics that we have considered, this research has shown: Do lesbian and gay romantic relationships differ from heterosexual romantic relationships? Relatively little research has examined same-sex romantic relationships.

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19  Lesbians and gay men are attracted to individuals who possess attributes similar to their own. However, because individuals with same-sex preferences have a smaller “pool” of potential mates, finding a mate with similar attributes presents a greater challenge (Helgeson, 2009).